Recent Developments in Metallic Degradable Micromotors for Biomedical and Environmental Remediation Applications

Synthetic micromotor has gained substantial attention in biomedicine and environmental remediation.Metal-based degradable micromotor composed of magnesium(Mg),zinc(Zn),and iron(Fe)have promise due to their nontoxic fuel-free propulsion,favorable biocompatibility,and safe excretion of degradation products Recent advances in degradable metallic micromotor have shown their fast movement in complex biological media,efficient cargo delivery and favorable biocompatibility.A noteworthy number of degradable metal-based micromotors employ bubble propulsion,utilizing water as fuel to generate hydrogen bubbles.This novel feature has projected degradable metallic micromotors for active in vivo drug delivery applications.In addition,understanding the degradation mechanism of these micromotors is also a key parameter for their design and performance.Its propulsion efficiency and life span govern the overall performance of a degradable metallic micromotor.Here we review the design and recent advancements of metallic degradable micromotors.Furthermore,we describe the controlled degradation,efficient in vivo drug delivery,and built-in acid neutralization capabilities of degradable micromotors with versatile biomedical applications.Moreover,we discuss micromotors’efficacy in detecting and destroying environmental pollutants.Finally,we address the limitations and future research directions of degradable metallic micromotors.

GPa-level pressure-induced enhanced corrosion resistance in TiZrTaNbSn biomedical high-entropy alloy

TiZrTaNb-based high-entropy alloys(HEAs)are research frontier of biomedical materials due to their high hardness,good yield strength,excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance.Sn,as an essential trace element in the human body that plays a significant role in physiological process.It has stable chemical properties and a low elastic modulus.In this study,a new material,TiZrTaNbSn HEAs,was proposed as a potential biomedical alloy.The Ti_(35)Zr_(25)Ta_(15)Nb_(15)Sn_(10)biomedical high-entropy alloys(BHEAs)were successfully prepared through an arc melting furnace and then remelted using a German high-temperature and high-pressure apparatus under GPa-level(4 GPa and 7 GPa).The precipitation behavior of the needle-like HCP-Zr_(5)Sn_(3)phase that precipitates discontinuously at the grain boundary was successfully controlled.The phase constitution,microstructure,and corrosion resistance of the alloy were studied.The results show that the needle-like HCP-Zr_(5)Sn_(3)phase is eliminated and the(Zr,Sn)-rich nano-precipitated phase is precipitated in the microstructure under high pressure,which leads to the narrowing of grain boundaries and consequently improves the corrosion resistance of the alloy.In addition,the formation mechanisms of(Zr,Sn)-rich nanoprecipitates in BHEAs were discussed.More Zr and Sn dissolve in the matrix due to the effect of high pressure,during the cooling process,they precipitate to form a(Zr,Sn)-rich nano-precipitated phase.

Preface–Introduction to the Special Issue for Chinese-Russian Workshop on Biophotonics and Biomedical Optics

The Chinese-Russian Workshop on Biophotonics and Biomedical Optics 2023 was held online twice on 18–21 September and 25–26 September 2023.The bilateral workshop brought together both Russian and Chinese scientists,engineers,and clinical researchers from a variety of disciplines engaged in applying optical science,photonics,and imaging technologies to problems in biology and medicine.During the workshops,two plenary lectures and twenty invited presentations were presented.This special issue selects some papers from both Russian and Chinese sides,consisting of one review and seven original research articles.

Joint Biomedical Entity and Relation Extraction Based on Multi-Granularity Convolutional Tokens Pairs of Labeling

Extracting valuable information frombiomedical texts is one of the current research hotspots of concern to a wide range of scholars.The biomedical corpus contains numerous complex long sentences and overlapping relational triples,making most generalized domain joint modeling methods difficult to apply effectively in this field.For a complex semantic environment in biomedical texts,in this paper,we propose a novel perspective to perform joint entity and relation extraction;existing studies divide the relation triples into several steps or modules.However,the three elements in the relation triples are interdependent and inseparable,so we regard joint extraction as a tripartite classification problem.At the same time,fromthe perspective of triple classification,we design amulti-granularity 2D convolution to refine the word pair table and better utilize the dependencies between biomedical word pairs.Finally,we use a biaffine predictor to assist in predicting the labels of word pairs for relation extraction.Our model(MCTPL)Multi-granularity Convolutional Tokens Pairs of Labeling better utilizes the elements of triples and improves the ability to extract overlapping triples compared to previous approaches.Finally,we evaluated our model on two publicly accessible datasets.The experimental results show that our model’s ability to extract relation triples on the CPI dataset improves the F1 score by 2.34%compared to the current optimal model.On the DDI dataset,the F1 value improves the F1 value by 1.68%compared to the current optimal model.Our model achieved state-of-the-art performance compared to other baseline models in biomedical text entity relation extraction.

Hydrogen sulfide responsive nanoplatforms: Novel gas responsive drug delivery carriers for biomedical applications

Hydrogen sulfide(H_(2)S)is a toxic,essential gas used in various biological and physical processes and has been the subject of many targeted studies on its role as a new gas transmitter.These studies have mainly focused on the production and pharmacological side effects caused by H_(2)S.Therefore,effective strategies to remove H_(2)S has become a key research topic.Furthermore,the development of novel nanoplatforms has provided new tools for the targeted removal of H_(2)S.This paper was performed to review the association between H_(2)S anddisease,relatedH_(2)S inhibitory drugs,aswell as H_(2)S responsive nanoplatforms(HRNs).This review first analyzed the role of H_(2)S in multiple tissues and conditions.Second,common drugs used to eliminate H_(2)S,as well as their potential for combination with anticancer agents,were summarized.Not only the existing studies on HRNs,but also the inhibition H_(2)S combined with different therapeutic methods were both sorted out in this review.Furthermore,this review provided in-depth analysis of the potential of HRNs about treatment or detection in detail.Finally,potential challenges of HRNs were proposed.This study demonstrates the excellent potential of HRNs for biomedical applications.

Renewable Polymers in Biomedical Applications:From the Bench to the Market

Polymers from renewable resources have been used for a long time in biomedical applications and found an irreplaceable role in some of them.Their uses have been increasing because of their attractive properties,contributing to the improvement of life quality,mainly in drug release systems and in regenerative medicine.Formulations using natural polymer,nano and microscale particles preparation,composites,blends and chemical modification strategies have been used to improve their properties for clinical application.Although many studies have been carried out with these natural polymers,the way to reach the market is long and only very few of them become commercially available.Vegetable cellulose,bacterial cellulose,chitosan,poly(lactic acid)and starch can be found among the most studied polymers for biological applications,some with several derivatives already established in the market,and others with potential for such.In this scenario this work aims to describe the properties and potential of these renewable polymers for biomedical applications,the routes from the bench to the market,and the perspectives for future developments.

A Method of Generating Semi-Experimental Biomedical Datasets

This paper proposed a method to generate semi-experimental biomedical datasets based on full-wave simulation software.The system noise such as antenna port couplings is fully considered in the proposed datasets,which is more realistic than synthetical datasets.In this paper,datasets containing different shapes are constructed based on the relative permittivities of human tissues.Then,a back-propagation scheme is used to obtain the rough reconstructions,which will be fed into a U-net convolutional neural network(CNN)to recover the high-resolution images.Numerical results show that the network trained on the datasets generated by the proposed method can obtain satisfying reconstruction results and is promising to be applied in real-time biomedical imaging.

Design and micromanufacturing technologies of focused piezoelectric ultrasound transducers for biomedical applications

Piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers have shown great potential in biomedical applications due to their high acoustic-to-electric conversion efficiency and large power capacity.The focusing technique enables the transducer to produce an extremely narrow beam,greatly improving the resolution and sensitivity.In this work,we summarize the fundamental properties and biological effects of the ultrasound field,aiming to establish a correlation between device design and application.Focusing techniques for piezoelectric transducers are highlighted,including material selection and fabrication methods,which determine the final performance of piezoelectric transducers.Numerous examples,from ultrasound imaging,neuromodulation,tumor ablation to ultrasonic wireless energy transfer,are summarized to highlight the great promise of biomedical applications.Finally,the challenges and opportunities of focused ultrasound transducers are presented.The aim of this review is to bridge the gap between focused ultrasound systems and biomedical applications.

Biobanks and biomarkers:Their current and future role in biomedical research

The importance and utility of biobanks has increased exponentially since their inception and creation.Initially used as part of translational research,they now contribute over 40%of data for all cancer research papers in the United States of America and play a crucial role in all aspects of healthcare.Multiple classification systems exist but a simplified approach is to either classify as population-based or disease-oriented entities.Whilst historically publicly funded institutions,there has been a significant increase in industry funded entities across the world which has changed the dynamic of biobanks offering new possibilities but also new challenges.Biobanks face legal questions over data sharing and intellectual property as well as ethical and sustainability questions particularly as the world attempts to move to a low-carbon economy.International collaboration is required to address some of these challenges but this in itself is fraught with complexity and difficulty.This review will examine the current utility of biobanks in the modern healthcare setting as well as the current and future challenges these vital institutions face.

Spherical nucleic acids for biomedical applications

Spherical nucleic acids(SNAs)are a 3D spherical nanostructure composed of highly oriented,dense layers of oligonucleotides conjugated to a hollow or solid core.This structure allows SNAs to show resistance to nuclease degradation,enter into nearly all cells without transfection agents and enable precise interactions with target molecules.Based on superior biological properties,SNAs can be tailored for diverse biological applications,rendering them a flexible and biosafe tool for biological applications as well as an enabling platform for therapy.In this review,we mainly discuss the structure and conjugation mode of SNAs and focus on recent advances in their applications,such as biomedical detection,imaging,and drug delivery.Finally,the remaining challenges and future directions of SNAs are also discussed and proposed.

Theranostic scope of monometallic selenium and titanium dioxide nanoparticles in biomedicine:A review

The nanoparticles(NPs)of metals and metal oxides constitute significant components of technology in terms of monometallic NPs(MNPs).Over the last decade,the most fascinating and in‐depth uses of NPs have been found in the biomedical field,which has demonstrated the therapeutic potential of these particles.Significant strides have been made in the application of nanotechnology across various industries,including biomedical sciences.In biomedicine,two of the most important applications of NPs are in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.Given their ability to deliver specific drugs,these next‐generation NPs provide safe and effective pharmacotherapies for a wide range of disorders.Selenium nanoparticles(SeNPs)and titanium dioxide(TiO_(2))NPs offer potential treatments for various applications,including hair care and cancer treatment.SeNPs help with abiotic stress,plant disease,and growth,while TiO_(2)NPs enhance bioimaging and drug delivery.This comprehensive review focuses on MNPs like Se(metal‐based)and TiO_(2)(metal‐oxide based).It covers their synthesis methods,nanoscale physicochemical properties,and the definition of specific industrial applications in various fields of applied nanotechnology,including biomedicine.

Progress in biomedical engineering during 2023 in China

Objective:To investigate the advancements achieved by biomedical engineering laboratories in China during 2023.Methods:A total of 729 articles were initially selected from the SCI database and categorized by image,signal,gene,and mechanics,with categories of quartile 1 or higher.Subsequently,52 representative articles were selected for this review.Results:The Chinese research team made significant strides in biomedical engineering in 2023,primarily in the following areas:traditional imaging technology,fluorescence labeling technology,photoacoustic imaging technology,neural interfaces and modulation,medical machinery,and medical materials.Significance:This review serves as an instructional manual for novices and an updated status report for experienced professionals.Additionally,comparing the achievements of Chinese teams with international teams may help shape future research directions in China.

The Sustainable Development Pathway of the Biomedical Industry Based on Environmental,Social,and Governance(ESG)Concepts

There is a growing global awareness of environmental,social,and governance(ESG)concerns.The biopharmaceutical industry is an important field that affects human health and well-being,and its sustainable development is now the industry’s focus.Based on the current state of the green development of China’s biopharmaceutical industry,the article proposes suggestions and paths for promoting the industry to better fulfill its social responsibilities and protect the environment while pursuing economic benefits.By doing so,the industry can make a greater contribution to global public health and become an important factor in promoting human health and social prosperity.

QIAamp及Biomed粪便细菌基因组DNA提取试剂盒提取人肠道细菌基因组DNA质量的差异

背景:有研究表明,不同试剂盒提取的粪便细菌基因组DNA质量有差别,选择一种操作简便、质量优良的粪便细菌基因组DNA提取试剂盒成为研究者们关注和急需解决的问题。目的:比较QIAamp及Biomed粪便细菌基因组DNA提取试剂盒提取的人肠道细菌基因组DNA质量的差异。方法:收集健康成年人新鲜粪便标本30例,用两种试剂盒分别提取细菌基因组DNA,检测其浓度、吸光度A260/280nm值及提取率,设计乳酸菌属16SrDNA基因特异性引物,以各自所提DNA为模板,进行常规聚合酶链反应,凝胶电泳后比较条带数量、明暗度及密度,并进行实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应定量检测各自所含乳酸菌属的数量。结果与结论:QIAamp试剂盒提取的正常人肠道细菌基因组DNA的浓度、提取率、表达量及乳酸菌属的数量均高于Biomed试剂盒(P<0.05或P<0.01)。说明QIAamp试剂盒提取的粪便细菌基因组DNA质量优于Biomed试剂盒。

科研机构资助开放获取出版实践——以BioMed Central为例

分析当前开放获取发展趋势及其对科研信息环境的影响,以BioMed Central为例,探讨科研机构支持作者发表开放论文的实践,总结研究机构在支持开放获取出版过程中的经验,思考图书馆在开放出版环境下新的服务机制。

Biomedical microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging

Microwave induced thermoacoustic imaging(MTAI)has emerged as a potential biomedical imaging modality with over 20-year growth.MTAI typically employs pulsed microwave as the pumping source,and detects the microwave-induced ultrasound wave via acoustic transducers.Therefore,it features high acoustic resolution,rich elect romagnetic contrast,and large imaging depth.Benefiting from these unique advantages,MTAI has been extensively applied to various fields including pathology,biology,material and medicine.Till now,MTAI has been deployed for a wide range of biomedical applications,including cancer diagnosis,joint evaluation,brain in-vestigation and endoscopy.This paper provides a comprehensive review on(1)essential physics(endogenous/exogenous contrast mechanisms,penetration depth and resolution),(2)hardware configurations and software implementations(excit ation source,antenna,ultrasound detector and image recovery algorithm),(3)animal studies and clinical applications,and(4)future directions.

生物医学领域一种重要开放式存取期刊出版社-BioMed Central的简介

作为最重要的开放式存取杂志出版商之一的BioMed Central(BMC)出版社,致力于提供经过同行评审的生物医学领域研究论文的公开取阅途径(open access)。读者可以在BMC出版社网站上免费获得其出版的研究论文,从而实现研究结果的迅速、高效交流。由于为了让更多的读者了解BMC出版社,并更好地帮助读者在BMC数据库中检索到所需要的文献资料,本文着重介绍了BMC数据库所提供的文献检索方式。

生物医学OA期刊20年发展启示——以BioMed Central所出版期刊为例

文章以创办20多年的BioMed Central出版社为例,通过收集该出版社出版的316本期刊,并收集在Web of Science和PubMed两个数据库中316本期刊的收录情况,以了解目前生物医学开放获取(OA)期刊的发展状况和国际大型出版商的办刊经验。在培育世界一流科技期刊的大背景下,我国生物医学期刊应从"借船出海"转变为"造船出海"出版策略,借鉴国外大型OA出版商的成功经验,实现走出去的目标。

Comprehensive Physicochemical Profiling and Characterization of Neem Plant Leaf Extracts: Insights for Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Applications

This study presents a comprehensive physicochemical analysis of neem plant leaf extracts with a focus on their potential applications in pharmaceutical and biomedical contexts. Utilizing the soxhlet extraction method with n-hexane as the solvent, the study investigated the quantitative and qualitative composition of neem leaf extracts in reference to concentrations. The results revealed a diverse array of compounds, including cyanogenic glycoside, cardiac glycoside, tannin, steroids, phytate, flavone, oxalate, rutin, lunamarin, catechin, spatein, naringin, resveratrol, kaempferol, flavonones, epicatechin, and epihedrine, with notable concentrations. Further analyses indicated shared physicochemical properties, such as carboxyl and hydroxyl groups. Qualitative assessments affirmed the presence of flavonoid and phenolic compounds, while FTIR analysis confirmed the existence of carboxyl and hydroxyl groups. These findings emphasize the potential use of neem leaves as pharmaceutical raw materials due to their antioxidant-rich content. Additionally, the study explored the density, viscosity, saponification value, and foaming power of neem leaf extracts, providing insights into their industrial applicability. GC-MS analyses highlighted the presence of significant chemical compounds, with potential therapeutic implications. Mineral analysis demonstrated essential elements for human and animal nutrition. This study underscores neem plant leaves’ multifaceted potential across pharmaceutical, herbal medicine, cosmetic, and functional food sectors. It lays a solid foundation for further research into the specific health benefits, offering valuable insights for harnessing neem leaves’ potential in innovative products and treatments.

Ophthalmological instruments of Al-Halabi fill in a gap in the biomedical engineering history

Al-Halabi is an intriguing ophthalmologist who invented numerous surgicalinstruments for treating various eye diseases. The illustrations of such instrumentsin his invaluable book “Kitab Al-Kafi fi Al-Kuhl” reflect his willingness toteach. Moreover, he included in his book a magnificent illustration of theanatomical structure of the eye. The book reflects Al-Halabi’s medical practice andteaching and shows several advanced medical techniques and tools. Hisinvaluable comments reflect his deep experimental observations in the field ofophthalmology. The current article provides proof that Al-Halabi is one of ourearly biomedical engineers from more than 800 years ago. Al-Halabi represents aring in the chain of biomedical engineering history. His surgical instrumentsrepresent the biomechanics field. Al-Halabi should be acknowledged among thebiomedical engineering students for his various contributions in the field ofsurgical instruments.